The preseason is just that -- the preseason.
Still, in their 23-point, season-opening loss to San Francisco 49ers, the Pittsburgh Steelers hardly resembled the team that went 3-0 in the preseason games, or the offense that seamlessly moved the ball, albeit against under-manned opponents.
The Steelers' offense scored just seven points, marking the fifth time in their last eight regular season games they've failed to score at least 20 points. The defense didn't fare much better, giving up four straight scores to the 49ers on their first four possessions.
By Sunday night, the hype train that steadily picked up speed throughout training camp and the preseason started to veer off the rails after one game.